Horizons

By SYLVIA THOMPSON

World cultures festival

Cool Earth is an environmental exhibition to be held at County Hall in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, from 11am to 6pm on July 24th and 25th as part of the Festival of World Cultures. Organised by Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown County Council, the fair features everything from environmentally themed songwriters and climate-change comedians to campaigners for green homes, waste reduction and climate-change awareness.

The festival also encourages all visitors to travel by public transport and recycle their waste while at the festival. See coolearth.ie.

Sculpture for fun

The renowned artist and scientist Brandon Ballengee will lead an education programme for children and adults at Lough Boora Sculpture Park, in Co Offaly, from July 19th to 30th. Ballengee, who is known for his hybrid environmental art/ecological research projects, will install a large canvas screen in the park, entitled

Love Motel for Insects

. Ultraviolet lights will attract insects to the canvas to create a painting of sorts. A children’s programme runs from July 19th to 23rd. Check out all the details at sculptureintheparklands.com.

Woodlands of Ireland is calling for a national deer-management policy. Despite a popular perception of deer as benign and vulnerable, Declan Little of Woodlands of Ireland says they have a negative affect on timber production, agricultural crops, woodland biodiversity and road safety. In the current issue of Crannmagazine, he argues that if the problem of increasing numbers of deer is not addressed, the quality of hardwoods and conifers will deteriorate and broadleaf woodlands will be unable to regenerate. The organisation is planning a deer seminar later this year to discuss the issues. woodlandsofireland.com.

Ecoweb

hilltoptreks.ie

Keen to go on a mountain hike but have nobody to go along with? Check out this site for guided walks in Wicklow, Kerry and other mountainous regions of Ireland. Also, take note of the full-moon walks: the next one goes up Lugnaquillia on Saturday, July 24th.